Infrastructure Engineer

ZipRecruiter; Warrington; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an enthusiastic Infrastructure Engineer to join their dynamic team. This role offers a unique opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology while contributing to national security. You'll engage in varied tasks, from troubleshooting infrastructure to developing innovative solutions, all within a supportive environment. With a focus on collaboration and continuous learning, this position is perfect for those eager to grow their skills and make a real impact. Enjoy a competitive salary, flexible working options, and numerous benefits as you embark on this exciting journey.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Interest-free season ticket loan

Excellent pension scheme

Cycle to work scheme

On-site gym

Paid parental leave

Flexible working hours

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Passion for IT and technology with a willingness to learn.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate solutions clearly.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with teams to develop customer-driven infrastructure.
• Troubleshoot infrastructure issues and support operational tasks.
• Engage in training and rotation through various roles.

Skills

Technical risk management

Operational security

Domain services (Windows/Linux)

Operating system administration

Web technologies

Scripting (Python/PowerShell/Bash)

Virtualisation technologies

Networking

Automation Tooling

Monitoring and analysis

Education

GCSE grade 4/C or above

Tools

vSphere

Hyper-V

Cisco

Juniper

Terraform

Ansible

Docker

ELK

Splunk

Job description

Job Description

Infrastructure Engineer Ref. 3481

Department: Engineering
Location(s): Manchester, Samlesbury
Salary: £36,408, plus a recruitment bonus of £2,000, dependent on skills assessed during the interview. Additionally, there is an opportunity to obtain a skills bonus of £4,513, based on a skills review during your first year in the role.

Job description

Flexible Working: This role is primarily office-based, with most of the work undertaken in the office and a small proportion of time working outside of the office. We offer flexible working hours, including options for compressed and part-time shifts. While working from home isn’t guaranteed, it might be possible on occasion, based on personal and business needs. Once you’re fully trained, you may also be required to join an on-call rota.

About Us

GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage. At GCHQ you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The Role

As an Infrastructure Engineer, you’ll become part of a friendly and skilled team dedicated to finding end-to-end solutions that optimise our systems and support our mission. You’ll be assigned a specialism based on your suitability, either at recruitment stage or following an in-role assessment. Specialisms include:

Tailored Acquisitions
Platform Engineers
Network Engineers
DevOps Engineers
Web Technology SMEs
Whatever your specialism, you’ll have real influence and impact. You might develop solutions for existing and future infrastructure or create innovative approaches to operational challenges. By contributing to your team’s success, you’ll also hone technical skills that advance your career. Whether you’re troubleshooting infrastructure issues or supporting operational tasks throughout their lifecycle, gain plenty of exposure to unique technology and grow in both confidence and experience.

This role involves plenty of collaboration. Work in both big and small teams, depending on the project and engage with a range of customers. Additionally collaborate with analysts across varied missions and the wider technical community to develop customer-driven infrastructure. In doing so, meet unique requirements, develop pioneering solutions and help enable the success of our mission.

About You

Are you passionate about IT and technology? Do you thrive in vibrant environments and love learning new skills? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you!

You only need one qualification: GCSE grade 4/C or above, or an equivalent Level 2 qualification in Maths. No other specific qualifications or deep technical background are required. You might have a background in STEM, experience working in a small company with exposure to end-to-end products, or simply a passion for IT and technology. If you’re enthusiastic, motivated, and eager to learn new skills, you’ll thrive in this role.

Organised and adaptable, you prioritise tasks effectively and stay focussed under pressure. You analyse problems and are willing to explore different approaches to find creative solutions. Moreover, you communicate those solutions to customers with clarity. No matter where you are in your career, if you have a passion for learning new skills in an environment that values collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and innovation, this opportunity is for you.

Training and Development

When you start, you’ll be assigned a “buddy” and a mentor to help you settle into the role and life at GCHQ. You’ll engage in a mix of formal and on-the-job training and be given ownership of tasks early in your role. At the beginning, you’ll collaborate with your team and line manager on initial responsibilities to develop your skills and ease into the types of projects you’ll be working on. As an Infrastructure Engineer, you’ll rotate through each of the three areas of our large team, spending 6 months in each area. This will help you gain comprehensive knowledge and a well-rounded experience. After 18 months, you’ll be placed in the team that best matches your skills. Please note that the rotation and training programme described is specific to our Samlesbury location. Manchester will have its own tailored training programme.

Depending on your specialism, you’ll have the opportunity to develop a wider range of valuable skills including:

• Technical risk management: Learn to identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks.
• Operational security: Gain expertise in protecting systems and data from threats.
• Domain services (Windows/Linux): Master the management of domain services across different operating systems.
• Operating system administration and security (Windows/Linux/Android/iOS): Enhance your skills in administering and securing various operating systems.
• Web technologies (Tor/VPNs/Proxies/CDNs/Cloud): Dive into the world of web technologies and learn to navigate complex networks.
• Scripting (Python/PowerShell/Bash): Develop proficiency in scripting to automate tasks and improve efficiency.
• Virtualisation technologies (vSphere, Hyper-V): Explore virtualisation technologies and their applications.
• Networking (Cisco, Juniper, NSX): Build your knowledge in networking with industry-leading technologies.
• Automation Tooling (Terraform/Ansible/Docker): Get hands-on experience with automation tools to streamline processes.
• Monitoring and analysis (ELK, Splunk): Learn to monitor and analyse systems using powerful tools.
• Storage (3PAR & Primera): Understand the intricacies of storage solutions and their management.

We aim to develop your knowledge through exposure and using the right technologies for the problem. You’ll gain experience with a wide variety of tech tools and programming, and as your skills develop, we’ll support your applications for specialist skill payments that recognise your abilities. We’ll also encourage you to pursue external training when necessary to enhance your knowledge of new technologies and provide opportunities to gain relevant funded qualifications.

Rewards and Benefits

You’ll receive a starting salary of £36,408, with the opportunity for additional skills payments once in role, plus other benefits including:

• 25 days of annual leave, automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years of service, plus an additional 10.5 days of public and privilege holidays.
• Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme.
• Interest-free season ticket loan (travel and parking)
• Excellent pension scheme.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
• Paid parental and adoption leave.

Equal Opportunities

At GCHQ, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes individuals with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, identities, orientations, ways of thinking, and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups under-represented in our workforce such as women, minorities, people with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds. Learn more about our culture, working environment, and opportunities on our website:

https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/life-at-gchq/-.html

We’re Confident

GCHQ is proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Confident scheme. This initiative encourages employers to improve recruitment, retention, and development of disabled people. As a Confident employer, we offer a fair chance of interviews to candidates who self-identify as disabled and meet the role’s essential criteria. This is our ‘Offer of Interview’ (OOI). To secure an interview, the essential criteria (assessed during application) are:

• GCSE or Level 2 qualification in Maths at Grade 4/C or above, assessed during application sift.
• Demonstrate strong motivation for working at GCHQ as an Infrastructure Engineer.
• Exhibit analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Show awareness of emerging technologies.

Additional support is available through the recruitment process. For reasonable adjustments, visit: https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/how-to-apply.html

What to Expect

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and merit-based. The stages include:

• Application Sift: Review of your motivation, skills, and essential criteria.
• Interview: Includes a skills assessment and potential skills payment, not guaranteed.

Conditional Offer: If successful, you’ll receive a conditional employment offer.

Note: You must pass each stage to proceed. The process may take 6-9 months, including vetting. We recommend continuing current employment until final offer.

Before You Apply

Applicants must be British or hold dual British citizenship. Full eligibility criteria are available on our website.

The role requires Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance. More about the vetting process can be found online.

We have a strict drugs policy. Recreational drug use is prohibited, and previous drug use must be declared during the process.

Set up a separate email for application contacts, avoiding personal details, for security reasons.

The role is based in Samlesbury or Manchester; applicants should reside within a commutable distance, as no relocation costs are provided.

Applications from outside the UK are not accepted until visiting the UK.

We reserve the right to close the application early if enough applications are received. Apply promptly to avoid missing out.